Pass Along A Hug Day
by Laura goes SMASH
Summary: The Hufflepuffs come up with a way to support Inter-House Unity and make everyone smile!
1. Pass Along A Hug Day

**A/N:** My first story on ! Oh man...... This came to me a couple of nights ago, and be warned, I haven't written anything in like 3 years. Bah. Takes place 6th year. And I know the title is dumb.

* * *

**Pass Along A Hug Day!**

The morning started out the same as any other morning. Draco Malfoy got up, showered, brushed his teeth, did his hair, put on his uniform, and looking ready to finally make his appearance, he left his dorm and headed for the Great Hall for breakfast.

The students of Hogwarts Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry we all milling about as they normally did, settling down at their assigned tables. Draco sat at his own house table and proceeded to continue reading his book, barely looking up to fix himself breakfast. It was a fanciful thing – his book. A tale of intrigue and mystery where the main character was a great detective, and Draco Malfoy was immersed. He had only stopped reading the night before when his eyes had finally decided they could not possibly stay open a moment longer.

Draco was hardly paying attention to anyone, that is, until Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster, stood to make an announcement.

"Students of Hogwarts, good morning!" Dumbledore started. "As you are all well aware, over a week ago, the faculty presented a challenge for you to support Inter-House Unity. While house rivalry is all good and fun for Quidditch, the level of animosity between certain houses has become quite troublesome."

Dumbledore stopped and stared pointedly at the Gryffindor and Slytherin Houses.

"As you all will come to your time to leave this establishment, we feel tolerance is the most important lesson you can learn from this."

"Many of you presented your ideas, and while relay-races sound like a fascinating idea," Dumbledore gave a small smile to the Gryffindor table, "we felt competition, however friendly, did not support the type of unity of which we were searching. Thus, we have decided on an idea from Hufflepuff."

"Today shall be known as 'Pass Along A Hug Day!'"

Needless to say, that information was met with mixed emotions. Draco, expressionless, glanced along the Great Hall. Many of the Slytherins had looks of contempt. He knew hardly any of his own house were going to get hugs that day and that was alright by him. The Hufflepuffs were beaming with joy. _Of course they would be,_ Draco thought. _They always feel the need to spread their mirth_. Draco, like many of the Slytherins, was unenthused.

"The guidelines are as follows:" Dumbledore started again. "The Hufflepuffs begin by choosing anyone they desire to hug, that person, in turn, hug another. Once you've been hugged, the small badge you can see on the Hufflepuff's robes will transfer to your own, and when you hug another, it shall, too, be transferred to them. You may not hug one of your own house or the badge will not transfer."

"That's all students. We hope you have a wonderful day!"

With those last words, Dumbledore sat back down, and the Great Hall erupted in a flurry of motion. Hufflepuffs of all years were swarming around and hugging the Gryffindors and the Ravenclaws. Malfoy snorted in derision at his own prediction: no Slytherins were receiving hugs. Draco went back to reading his book.

After reading a few more lines, Malfoy noticde the hall had gone very quiet. Not wanting to miss a most likely very embarrassing moment for someone, he looked up, only to find the entire hall staring at him, or at least, behind him. Slowly turning around, Draco came face to face with a young Hufflebpuff.

Her name was Canary Blue. Why _anyone_ would name their child "Canary" was beyond Draco, but she was a sweet first year that on her second day of school, she had gotten hopelessly lost in the dungeons. Draco, doing his prefect rounds, had come across her, curled in a ball, and crying profusely. He had no choice but to escort her back to her own dorm. They walked the back to the Potions classroom, and he told her to pay attention to where she's going, walking her through the halls back to the Great Hall. Once in the main thoroughfare, there was much hoopla over the girl since apparently she'd been missing since before dinner. During their walk, however, Canary became convinced that Malfoy was not as awful as everyone said and was actually rather nice. Draco was appalled but flattered nonetheless.

Canary had her arms stretched wide in anticipation of a hug. Draco, looking wary, shook his head slowly, and in return, Canary mimicked his movements, only nodding. Draco shook his head, more vigorously, and the Hufflepuff again, matched his pace with her nodding. Draco once more started shaking his head, not really caring that everyone saw he was now on the verge of panicking. How cruel could this Hufflepuff be?!? Malfoy's _don't_ hug!

Canary launched herself around Draco's neck and held on for dear life. Draco sat frozen, not knowing what he was supposed to do. Cautiously, he wrapped his arms around her waist, and patted her back. Draco couldn't caution a look around the Great Hall, lest he die of embarrassment.

The Hufflepuff released her chokehold on Malfoy and gave him a mega-watt smile that melted his heart, slightly. Draco watched as the HUG badge vanished from her robes and appeared on his own.

"You have all day," the first year told him. "You only have to hug _one_ person."

And with that, Canary ambled back to her own house table.

Draco couldn't wait to be free of the gawking and staring from the Great Hall, but they didn't end there. No matter where he went, students of all houses and years kept glancing to see if he'd hugged anyone yet. He'd never felt more on display in his life. However, despite being uncomfortable by all the looks, he didn't want to frivolously give the hug away to anyone who might be standing closest. He felt that anyone who would have the honor of receiving a hug from Draco Malfoy, should very much deserve a hug, or at least, someone who would possibly need one as much as he wanted to give it, and that was a lot.

Draco stopped what he was doing. Did he actually think that? He _wanted_ to give a hug? _No, of course not,_ he told himself, _I just want to get rid of this horrendous badge and be free of this ridiculous task of hugging._

But who deserved or needed a hug was the real question. Everywhere he looked, people were being hugged, and no one seemed to need it. His answer finally came in potions.

Harry Potter sat at his usual table with the Weasel by his side, and Granger at the table in front of them. The three were chit-chatting about the day's events.

"So Harry," Ron began. "How many hugs have you gotten?" Ron waggled his eyebrows in suggestion.

Harry remained stoic.

"None."

Ron was taken aback.

"None?!" he cried. "What do you mean 'none'?!"

Draco's ears perked at the outcry. Harry Potter, the golden boy himself, the savior of the wizarding world many times over, hadn't received _one_ hug? Even the Ice Prince himself had gotten _one_!!

"That's preposterous, Harry, of course you've gotten at least one," Granger coaxed.

Harry's eyes darkened.

"No, 'Mione, none. No one has offered. They look like they want to, but they don't. Not Cho, not Luna, not anyone."

"Merlin, Harry," Ron chimed. "Even bloody Malfoy has _one_."

"Yeah, Ron, thanks for that reminder."

"Well, maybe they're all too nervous," Hermione surmised. "You're famous. Girl's get shy and quiet around you. I'm sure someone will give you a hug."

A dejected looking Harry merely replied, "Maybe."

And that's when Malfoy made up his mind. Potter's friends weren't even offering up pity hugs. He may be hexed into the next millennium, but no matter what, he would wrap his arms around Harry Potter and squeeze by the end of day.

Deciding to do something and actually having the balls to do it are completely different, Draco found. He may have made up his mind, but even attempting to hug his rival made his stomach all wonky and thoughts of projectile vomiting danced around his brain.

He could've done it right then and there, in front of the entire Potions class, but his pulse started to race and he began sweating, and he thought better of it.

After Potions, Potter passed him to get to his next class. Another missed opportunity. All he had to do was go up to him and wrap his arms around the Scarhead's neck, so why was it so hard? Oh yeah, because it _was_ Scarhead.

Draco sighed in frustration. He really only had one chance left, and that was right before dinner, outside the Great Hall. It would be crowded as all hell, but it was his only shot. The Slytherin knew he had to take the Gryffindor by surprise and hug him before he could react. Draco, then, would make a swift retreat and never show his face in public again.

The mouth to the Great Hall was packed with students ready to fill their empty bellies with dinner. Draco made his way through the crowd trying to spy the raven hair he so desperately wanted to find. Finally, he found Potter with his back turned away from him, standing next to his two best friends.

Draco stalked up behind Harry, trying not to be noticed by the Weasel and Granger. When he was within arm's reach, he outstretched his arm and grabbed Harry's wrist, forcefully pulling him backwards and turning him around. The force of the tug spun Harry straight into Draco's arms.

Draco enveloped Harry in his arms. Ghosting his lips over Harry's ear, he whispered, "Everyone needs a hug once in a while," and placed a barely-there kiss on the shell of Harry's ear.

Draco thought he would surely drop dead the moment he realized what he did, and hastily released Potter, and made a swift retreat down to the dungeon's, not looking back.

Harry Potter stood shocked. It was like all time had stopped. Nobody moved. His arms were half-raised, almost like he was about to hug someone, and he was frozen. Harry looked down at his arms and couldn't even do anything. All that was running through is head was, _What the fuck. Malfoy just_ hugged_ me? What? Wait-what? What? What? What do I—what just—_what? And that was it. Eloquent, to say the least.

The crowd started to move. Whispers started spreading. Ron started yelling. Hermione tried to keep Ron from chasing after Malfoy, and Harry just stood there looking at Hermione asking her silently what the hell just happened. Harry looked down to his own robes and noticed the HUG badge had, indeed, appeared on his own robes.

Fin.


	2. The Canary Tale

**A/N: Thank you soooooooo much for all of you who reviewed PAHD. Seriously, every one I got made my day better. Many of you asked for a second part, and I kept saying no. I finally caved, however, this isn't really a sequel since I realllllly have no idea where I would go after the first story, so I thought I would try writing it from Canary's POV, sort of. Many of you actually liked her character, and I really liked her too (I named a sim after her...lol. She's really not a Mary-Sue, I was NOT this cute as a child.) so I thought I would expand a little on her character and how the whole situation started. So without further ado, I give you...**

The Canary Tale

The morning started out the same as any other morning. Canary Blue got up, showered, brushed her teeth, did her hair, put on her uniform, and looking ready to finally make her appearance, she left her dorm and headed for the Great Hall for breakfast.

Only, it turns out today wasn't just any ordinary day.

Canary was the type of girl who always had someone with her. It wasn't like she was in need of company, it was because people seemed to need to be near _her_.

On her second day at Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, she had gotten so terribly lost, she was sure no one would ever find her and she would die of starvation. She was too young to die. Curling up in a tiny ball, she started crying her eyes out.

Hours had passed, feeling like days, and she could feel herself dwindling away, slowly dying. Hearing the grumbling in her stomach quieting, she knew the end was near.

But 'lo! Like an angel from the heavens above with hair like a halo, she was saved!

His name was Draco Malfoy, her Savior. Seriously, that's what she called him: Draco Malfoy, my Savior.

On her first day, her house prefect, while touring the castle on the way to the Hufflepuff dorms, he had named a few people of import:

Harry Potter: nice chap, captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, savior of the wizarding world many times over. Somewhat approachable. Don't ask for an autograph.

Harry Potter's friends: Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Ron's Keeper of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Hermione is beyond smart.

Professor Snape: whatever you do, act like you don't exist. Try to make yourself as unnoticeable as possible. Never get on his bad side. He's probably a softie at heart but he's prickly on the outside.

Draco Malfoy: Ice Prince. He'll either push you out of his way, or he'll just knock you down and step on you.

Needless to say, her first impression of Draco Malfoy wasn't a good one.

But there he was, looking down at her, unenthused.

He was a ray of sunshine, a beacon of hope, the light at the end of the tunnel.

He told her to get up and stop crying.

That was expected of the Ice Prince. However, after watching her wipe her snotty nose on her uniform sleeve, and giving a look of utter disgust, he reached into his pocket, pulled a handkerchief, handed it to her.

It had his initials embroidered on it.

Draco Malfoy led the way. She followed him like a lost puppy, sniffling along the way. After what felt like forever, he abruptly stopped at the potions room doors. Malfoy turned to her and said, "Pay attention."

A man of little words.

And she paid attention.

They kept quiet the whole time. Canary was so exhausted and terrified of the older boy she couldn't even make herself speak. It wasn't like he was offering to chat either, so they just walked in less-than-companionable silence. However, during the silence, Canary somehow convinced herself that this young man could not have been as wicked and unfeeling as she originally thought because he had done something nice: he let her use his embroidered hanky. That was beyond his duties as a prefect.

Canary started to hear voices ahead calling her name. People were looking for her! She had never felt so joyful in her life. She ran to the voices and found her own house prefects near the Great Hall. She was so happy she could've hugged everyone, and almost did.

Seeing she was safe with her own people, Draco Malfoy turned to head back down the dungeons for the solitude, but Canary quickly grabbed his hand to stop him. She tried to hand his handkerchief back. Malfoy looked at it with revulsion and told her to keep it. He turned, not acknowledging anyone, and headed back towards the dungeon.

"Prat." He heard someone say behind his back.

"No, look," Canary started. "He gave this to me. He's really not that bad."

Malfoy was glad his back was turned. No one could see his cheeks redden.

She carried that handkerchief at all times since that fateful day.

Canary was a fan of hugs. It seemed most Hufflepuffs were. One day, Professor Dumbledore announced that he was counting on the students to devise a way to promote inter-house unity. Canary knew what she wanted to do: give Draco Malfoy the hug he deserves for saving her life.

In the Hufflepuff common room, where the house members gathered to brainstorm, she mentioned that maybe hugs would help. That was the spark that ignited "Pass Along a Hug" Day.

The Hufflepuff prefects went to the Headmaster with Canary's idea. Little did they know it would become a legendary day.

Canary sat in the Great Hall talking animatedly with her cete* of friends when Headmaster Dumbledore stood to make an announcement.

"Students of Hogwarts, good morning!" Dumbledore started. "As you are all well aware, over a week ago, the faculty presented a challenge for you to support Inter-House Unity. While house rivalry is all good and fun for Quidditch, the level of animosity between certain houses has become quite troublesome."

Dumbledore stopped and stared pointedly at the Gryffindor and Slytherin Houses.

"As you all will come to your time to leave this establishment, we feel tolerance is the most important lesson you can learn from this."

"Many of you presented your ideas, and while relay-races sound like a fascinating idea," Dumbledore gave a small smile to the Gryffindor table, "we felt competition, however friendly, did not support the type of unity of which we were searching. Thus, we have decided on an idea from Hufflepuff."

"Today shall be known as 'Pass Along a Hug Day!'"

Canary stared up at Professor Dumbledore with wonderment. He chose _her_ idea! Dumbledore gave Canary a congratulatory smile.

"The guidelines are as follows:" Dumbledore started again. "The Hufflepuffs begin by choosing anyone they desire to hug, that person, in turn, hug another. Once you've been hugged, the small badge you can see on the Hufflepuff's robes will transfer to your own, and when you hug another, it shall, too, be transferred to them. You may not hug one of your own house or the badge will not transfer."

With a wave of his hand, small HUG badges materialised on the Hufflepuffs robes.

"That's all students. We hope you have a wonderful day!"

With those last words, Dumbledore sat back down, and the Great Hall erupted in a flurry of motion. Hufflepuffs of all years were swarming around and hugging the Gryffindors and the Ravenclaws, only Canary had another house in mind.

Canary stood from her bench and headed straight to the Slytherin table. She could start to feel eyes watching her as she neared the snake pit. One by one, black beady eyes zeroed in on her as she approached her target. Her steps started to waver, feeling suddenly self-conscious, but she puffed her chest and focused on Draco Malfoy.

As she stood behind him, silence filled the Great Hall. Malfoy hadn't even looked up from his book, obviously disinterested in inter-house unity. As the quiet increased, Canary watched Draco raise his eyes to the room, and slowly turned.

She stood there with her arms outstretched ready to pounce. Draco slowly shook his head, ready to deny, but Canary wasn't giving up. She nodded. Draco shook his head more vigor, but Canary started forming a smile on her face, one very similar to a cat that just ate her namesake and nodded, matching his pace. Draco started shaking his head furiously, ready to fend off the attack. Panic started showing on his face, but Canary wasn't giving up. She made up her mind, and she was going to hug him whether he wanted her to or not.

She launched herself around his neck and held on for dear life. Draco just sat there stiff as a board, and cautiously wrapped his arms around her, patting her back.

Canary was elated. She released him and gave him her blue-ribbon smile. She convinced herself she saw the Ice Prince melt a little.

"You have all day," the first year told him. "You only have to hug one person."

And with that, Canary headed back to her own table.

Needless to say, Canary was the talk of the town-er-school that day. Students from different houses approached her only to ask her "why Malfoy?"

Canary's only explanation was "he saved my life." Which was obviously a stretch, but she believed it nonetheless.

Canary received many hugs that day from the Gryffindors. They were proud of her courage to approach a Slytherin and do something no one else had the gall to do. They told her she should've been a Gryffindor, but many knew hugging a Slytherin was something only a Hufflepuff could do. Hufflepuffs were the one house that couldn't get under anyone's skin. They never did anything wrong, and acted only with their big badger hearts. They were bright and sunny, like their house color and Canary was no exception.

She heard whispers throughout the day that Malfoy still had his HUG badge and started to become disappointed. She _knew_ he wasn't as mean as everyone said, so why did he keep insisting he was? She nodded to herself, she was going to give him a piece of her mind at dinner.

Only, she ended up not needing to.

She waited by the Great Hall entrance for Malfoy to appear. When she spied him, though, he looked like a man on a mission, headed straight towards none other that Harry Potter himself.

Canary watched in horror as Draco grabbed Harry's wrist and spun him around.

Horror turned into mirth as she watched Draco, almost in slow-motion wrap his arms around Harry and give him the biggest bear hug she's ever seen.

Canary didn't need to see what happened next, she would hear about it for the rest of the night, and probably all week. She ambled to her seat at the table and with the biggest smile, waited for dinner. Mission accomplished.

**A/N: I just might be a little thick: I never realized until I was writing the part about how Hufflepuffs were bright and sunny, that canary is a color yellow. Funny how your brain works that way. I just liked the name Canary. Lol. I never thought it would actually fit her PERFECTLY. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention, even though I made an asterisk, "cete" apparently means "a group of badgers."**


	3. The Snape Experience

**A/N: So this really wasn't supposed to be written, but a friend of mine asked about the teachers as well as Slytherin66. So I had an idea and ran with it.**

The Snape Experience

Professor Snape walked into his Potions classroom to find the children conspiring. Ever since that morning when Dumbledore announced the preposterous "Pass Along A Hug Day" the students had been tittering.

All this good cheer put Professor in a mood worse than his usual bad mood.

It made him wish for the good ol' days when the houses kept to themselves and everyone was fine with it. Sure there was always rivalry, but because of some positively horrid Gryffindors causing trouble for his Slytherin students, that meddling headmaster thought it was best for the students to "hug it out."

HA! Like that would solve anything.

Hugs were useless. Snape couldn't remember the last time he had been hugged, and look, he was just fine without them.

Now he had to deal with the blasted Hufflepuffs, the cause for his even more foul mood.

Snape pointed his wand and caused a student's cauldron to explode, calling attention to the class.

"No more chattering. There will be no more talk of _hugs_ in this class."

Snape ruled with an iron tongue and wand.

The class came to an end, and Snape was too preoccupied with collecting potions, that he didn't notice the sidelong glances certain students were giving each other.

"Professor Snape?"

Snape turned to find the second year Hufflepuffs looking up at him.

"What is it now?"

"We just want you to know that you deserve this more than anyone at this entire school."

Snape squinted his eyes trying to understand what they were talking about when he suddenly found many small 12 year old arms wrapping around his body.

Snape was so shocked, he lost all sense of space and time, and only came to when he processed a flash bulb burning his eyes. Colin Creevey, that blasted Gryffindor and his bloody camera.

Snape became so enrage, strength previously unknown flowed through his veins and the poor students flew from his body. Panic striking their small features.

Only, their faces didn't stay panicked. One by one, the students started snickering.

Snape was sputtering, trying to get words out, only his brain completely failed him.

He looked down at his robes and found a dozen bright yellow HUG badges all over him.

Snape flew down the corridors, seriously, he was moving so fast his feet barely touched the ground.

He stormed his way to the gargoyle statue marking Dumbledore's office and nearly blew the statue away with the force of his yelling.

As he bounded down the stairs, he missed a step and nearly fell on his face in his haste to reach Dumbledore.

Barging through the door, he found the headmaster sitting at his desk.

Dumbledore looked up to find a furious Snape covered in HUG badges.

The headmaster couldn't hide his mirth as he burst with laughter.

"This is not _funny_!" Snape screamed. "Teachers were _not_ supposed to be involved! What is the meaning of this?"

Dumbledore tried to slow his breathing to answer the enraged potions master.

"You were the exception."

"And why, pray tell, was _I_ the exception?" Snape asked through gritted teeth.

"Because it would make a great picture!" Dumbledore exclaimed, laughter once again flowing. "I – hahahaha – can't believe – aheeheeheehee – that they actually did it it! Ahahahahahaha!" Dumbledore was holding his stomach at this point.

"You knew this was going to happen? This is ridiculous, get these blasted things off me _now_!" Snape cried.

"Ahahaha – I can't! They won't come off until the day is done. Hehehe..."

Snape looked absolutely mortified.

"I'm sorry, my dear boy." Dumbledore apologized. "But you need to live a little."

Snape saw the twinkle in the headmaster's eye and sneered. He would not be eating dinner in the Great Hall that night.

Time passed, and while there were rumors of the incident, the Hufflepuffs never chalked up to it again. Snape had deducted enough points to put the poor badgers into the negative. Out of fear of more points knocked off, the students kept quiet. It became an urban legend. Some would say they saw fire blazing from Snape's robes as he ran through the halls. Others claimed Snape threatened the students lives if they ever spoke again.

Soon enough, the end of the year had come, and it was time for the seventh years to head off into the sunset. It was during the final dinner that something curious happened. A Hogwart's owl came flying in with a package and headed straight for Professor Snape.

There was no sender.

Snape pulled the ribbon slowly, only for it to burst open and confetti fly across the room. Only it wasn't confetti. It was pictures. Hundreds of pictures and they all displayed the same thing:

Snape receiving the best hug he would ever get.


End file.
